Not So Silent Night
by Celic
Summary: "But as he drew closer his many options faded into one surprisingly curious blur. Peering into the trees he could finally put an image to what he tasted in the air, and the abruptness of it all distressed him even at his distance." Set in the time period following Damon and Stefan Salvatore's transformation.
1. Chapter 1

The air surrounding him was cold and bitter, sending comforting sensations throughout his entire body as he morphed into the black forest. Moving at incredible speed he was farther from his home than he realized; branches pricked at his arms and legs and his feet seemed to glide him over the mass of fallen pine needles with great ease. In the blink of an eye he was somewhere entirely unfamiliar. As he stopped the earth seemed to stop with him, lurching into its regular lukewarm pace once again. He let out a breath and the air chilled it to a smokey exhale, the sounds of the residing wildlife rushing through his ears in an instant. Closing his eyes, he chose a sound of rustling leaves and pumping blood in the distance and focused on it. Within seconds his mouth clamped down on fur dampened with blood that escaped his mouth as he fed hungrily, though the thought of never truly being satisfied cringed at his stomach as the carcass was tossed to the ground. On he went, mercilessly and feverishly until he felt his capacity was met and his hunger somewhat subsided into momentary dullness.

With nothing more to accomplish in the solemn confine of the woods, he turned to make his way back to familiar territory, lazily noticing the smells of the trees and the stars in the sky. He indulged in the momentary peacefulness of the silence of the outdoors. A silence that was becoming all too uneasy as it sat heavily in his ears. The peculiarity of the situation created a sense of restlessness within him as he continued onward, cautiously scanning the area for any sense of imminent danger. Just as he rushed through a line of trees, it collided into him.

The thick stench of aged blood pounded against his skull, stopping him dead in his tracks. His skin ignited into a fiery excitement as his feet moved willingly toward the source. Decidedly, he assumed he would merely discover the smell. Perhaps it was an animal; a long dead deer left to die after another animal attacked it. He mulled over the ideas of what may lie beyond the line of trees as he neared. But as he drew closer his many options faded into one surprisingly curious blur. Peering into the trees he could finally put an image to what he tasted in the air, and the abruptness of it all distressed him even at his distance.

A wooden cross was erected in the middle of a tiny clearing in the trees, reaching almost 9 feet into the air. As he studied it further, he could not help himself from lurching towards it in alarm. Every sense in his body intensified as he gazed at hers in veracious hunger fuzed with uneasiness. Her body was tied with thick rope around the cross, the translucent white gown tattered and dirty with days of natural filth. Her scent became irresistible in an instant, the stale fear and blood compelling him to move closer.

Scanning her body he saw that her limbs were not only tied, but staked into the wood through her legs and wrists. Streams of stale blood decorated her like lifeless ribbons and soaked into the towering planks of lumber. He could not bear to look at her face. All he longed for was to tear her body off the cross and drain every last bit of life from her. The thought of it throbbed at his brain as he scanned the area nervously, letting his gaze fall hungrily to the pile of red leaves amongst the brown and tan. Unconsciously, he bent down to reach for the glittering leaves, streaking his fingers with red and bringing them to his lips. His fangs protruded willingly from his gums as he slowly lost the battle against his own humanity. The moment his tongue met the blood on his fingers something inside of him ignited and burned furiously throughout his body. Every nerve was set ablaze and it took everything left in his power to tear himself away from the scene entirely before indulging in what he refused to succumb to.

* * *

_Note from author:  
Set in the time period following Damon and Stefan Salvatore's transformation after Alexia (Lexie) has begun to help Stephan cope with his hunger and humanity.  
Ratings and Reviews are welcome,  
Celic_


	2. Chapter 2

A booming thud of the front door against the wall shook the entire house as he rushed inside, fangs still waiting in anticipation and eyes wide open with shock. It was growing immensely more difficult for him to process everything that had happened. And it was nearly impossible to keep himself from rushing back to lap up every last remaining drop of blood. He flung himself to the doorway of the common room of the estate, and gripping it for dear life he could not help his chest from heaving against the shear desire to kill, to feed. What had he unleashed? At that moment two curiously startled faces rounded the corner and took in the scene of his desperation.

"Stefan? What is wrong?" She looked him over frantically, hoping no one had followed him to their collective safe haven. His eyes and twisted face were immediate warnings, but it was the blood on his hand she smelled that worried her the most. "Oh, no...what have you done?" She questioned sympathetically, her voice trailing as she lifted her dress to walk towards him. Her eyes spoke differently as they burned into his, fierce with the intent to understand what caused his distress.

He opened his mouth to speak but no words escaped his lips. He was struggling to remain in control of himself and it was projecting heavily onto those who witnessed it. Like a deer in headlights Stefan remained trembling against the doorway, mouth ajar, unable to fully stimulate speech. The two figures remained cautious, awaiting some sort of response that seemed eternally drawn out. But in a moment hands were gripping Stefan's shoulders, urging him with force to come to some sort of calm and explain the situation he carried with him.

"Brother," He pleaded steadily, allowing his piercing eyes to break the trance he was so flustered by. ",tell us what has happened." Stefan looked up to find him scanning his face desperately and loosened his grip on the doorframe, the faint impression of his hands upon the wood was darkened with his own blood. He blinked rapidly, regaining a sense of reality and took a steady breath before meeting the eyes of her standing behind his brother. She returned his glance with a carefully reassuring nod.

"I-I'm not sure what I've seen was real..." He answered, almost inaudibly as he loosened his stance and began to rise on his own. He looked down to his hands then, realizing all traces of the woman who set fire to his tamed hunger was dissolved into a frantic stupor. The event left him questioning his sanity all together. Did he kill the poor girl and construe a fantasy in his mind? He looked up at his brother then, confused and afraid for what may have truly taken place.

"Damon, I stumbled upon something terrible in the woods. A girl-"

"Oh, Stefan!" She disrupted, her tone foreshadowing his presumed guilt. "Please tell me you have not taken a life tonight?"

"I think he's capable of explaining that himself, Alexia!" Damon pressured, turning to face the premature accusations. The entire ordeal was becoming an overwhelming guessing game of murderous intentions.

"Please, brother, I understand her worries." He said as he raised a hand to cease the heightening of voices. He took a moment to exchange glances to them both; equal proportions of frustration and worry blanketed their faces. "While hunting as usual, I discovered a strange object in a clearing of the woods. It was another-" He gulped then, closing his eyes in remembrance to the strange reoccurring phenomena. ",it was another cross." They shifted restlessly, and Damon stared at Stefan for further elaboration.

"This time there was a young woman tied to it. She was also staked."

"A vampire?" Alexia prodded, her eyebrow lifting slightly. This wasn't an uncommon feat in Mystic Falls with the vampiric cleansing still in process. Stefan cast his eyes downward, failing to hide his shame. Damon understood in that instant what happened, but unlike Alexia he accepted his brother's torment without much strain.

"No." He replied. Damon swallowed hard, wondering if he had become the killer again that he worked so hard to prevent. "She was staked at the limbs..." Alexia gasped. He raised his head to meet their eyes and outstretched his hands as if to explain his regrettable reasoning. "Her blood...I became transfixed in an instant, Alexia! The smell reached for miles, I-I could not help but taste-"

"Stop! Do not tell me anymore, Stefan, I have heard quite enough." Alexia said as she closed her eyes and raised her pearly, satin gloved hand for him to stop talking altogether. As she turned with her elegant royal blue dress to start up the stairs, she pointed towards the still opened doorway. "Please, assure no one has followed you." And with that, she disappeared, her curtain of blond curls trailing behind her.

Stefan was at a loss of words. He was a clear disgrace, and he hated himself for it. For wasting countless days conditioning himself to the customary diet of animals and becoming aware of his humanity instead of shunning it. For being irresponsible in the presence of a mentor, a friend. A light hand rested on his shoulder, and in that moment he became aware that he had downcast his face and shed a few tears in his state of resentment. He looked up to meet his brother's comforting expression, one of forgiving acceptance projected through icy blue eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Stephan cut him short.

"Go." He stated starkly. A look of disorientation crossed Damon's calm demeanor. His brows furrowed as he studied his brother intently. "I have only tasted her stale blood, brother, what was left scattered on the ground; she is still alive out there." Stefan silently pleaded, his eyes falling downcast again. They both knew in that instant who had the ability to control their urgencies when faced with such a scenario.

He was entirely unsure that Stefan was telling the whole truth about what he'd seen or done, partly because it seemed so outlandish for him to have tasted her blood and suppressed his instinct to kill. But nevertheless, he regarded his brother with respectable subtlety and nodded an unseen goodbye, hastening towards the woods immediately after.

* * *

_Note from author:  
The Vampiric Cleanings are ongoing in Mystic Falls ever since the discovery of vampires existence in the town. The vampires are staked upon crosses and left as a reminder to others of their supposed abomination.  
Ratings and Reviews are welcome,  
Celic_


	3. Chapter 3

Time fell around him as he rushed through the never-ending trees and layers of foliage. He had gone miles in every discernible direction from the estate, finding traces of Stefan's hunt scattered around like lifeless trail markers. The more he searched the more he began to doubt his brother's integrity. Was he merely lying to himself about what took place? Had he lost his way on Alexia's journey to regain his humanity?

Damon pondered the possibilities with scrutinizing intensity as his own stomach began to churn. Would he find a poor woman's body strewn about the woods as his animal corpses were? He hoped for any better possible scenario as he let his senses open completely to the surrounding wilderness. Carefully weaving about the dense trees, he began to make his way back to more familiar areas. As he lightly treaded over the thick pine needles, something heavy shoved his feet firmly into the ground beneath them, suspending him motionlessly in the quiet forest.

An enchanting luxuriousness permeated his thoughts and senses, commanding him to advance closer to the source. He drew a long, succulent breath to savor the thick air and closed his eyes. Images flashed rapidly in his mind; lacerating perfectly smooth skin, inhaling viscous euphoria, rising tensions, rough grips, tongues trailing and lapping hungrily. He was carried off onto a higher state of eagerness than he anticipated without a moment's notice. When he opened his eyes again they fell into a sort of ignoble and worrisome focus.

Dulled golden hair was mangled against her pure delicacy of features and tied around her head and mouth with twisted, nasty ropes that only exemplified her breathtaking allure. Blood and dirt and filth was scratched or smeared randomly about her. The most disheartening area, was upon her face, the area in which Damon could not tear his eyes from. Although, he found it relatively easy once he examined her wounds inflicted terribly by iron stakes. One through every limb careened into the rough wood planks behind her body, the tiny trailings of blood upon her brought out trailings beneath his eyes as his fangs protruded from his gums.

Her thin, silky gown glowed under the light of the moon and twinkled as he neared her in the clearing of trees. His heart thumped against his chest as he took in the sight of her in entirety; guiltily indulging in the translucency of the fabric, he stood enticed by her plump features and ignored the smudges to lick his lips hungrily. What was it about this woman that baited him to abandon all reason? The concoction of desperation and pleasure radiated from his every pore as his eyes fell to the tear in the flimsy fabric up her thigh. A small stream of blood had trickled down and caressed her like he began to sinfully imagine himself doing. He reached a slightly trembling hand out to her. If he could only have one taste perhaps...

But as this thought crawled across his mind a shout in the distance blared away any sense of residual entrapment of her on him. "Monster! Monster!" A burly man boomed, storming the clearing with three others with stakes, guns and torches in hand. The dangerous urgency of it all sent Damon's eyes shooting open in fear and realization as he backed away slowly. "Kill the vampire before it flees!" Another man shouted, gun pointed in his direction and ready to fire. Damon crouched defensively as they surrounded him, hoping this was not the moment he would die. They had wooden bullets, he was sure of it. He glanced at the man again and seething hatred pierced back through his eyes as he cocked his gun to fire. His chances of escape were dwindling at each passing second. "Filthy demon." He heard him mutter as his eye squinted and head turned slightly to aim.

Before he could pull the trigger Damon was behind him, knocking his gun from his hands and forcing his mouth onto the man's throat with ferocious intensity. Collective gasps roused his excitement, pricking at the back of his neck as he dug his teeth dug into the bottomless pit of his fervent needs, resurrecting a forgotten ravenous mania. As he thrust his head back, a large portion of the man's throat was torn with the force, seeping and splattering blood everywhere like a cascading fountain. He shoved the man from him, his eyes a treacherous red that matched the coating of blood dripping from his face and clothing. It was too late for them, he concluded. The disastrous thing that plagued him and his brother for years wielded a hallowed power neither of them could begin to comprehend nor suppress. He indulged in the frenzied delight and licked his lips to savor the fulfillment of his darkest desires. Why do him and Stefan fool themselves? This is what it truly feels like to be otherworldly, to be a creature and revel in its poisonous glory. As he turned on his heel to face them, a sly smile planted on his red lips, he outstretched his arms as if to welcome dissolution with a mocking immaturity.

Two men stared in terror as they jumped backwards, but one man decidedly launched himself at Damon yelling like a madman and wielding a crude stake. He never reached close enough to drive the stake through his heart though, for Damon's hand was already forced into the cavity of his chest and holding his own before he could cast a downward glance to realize what had just occurred. As he watched the life fade quickly from the man's wide eyes, Damon grinned with devilish satisfaction and withdrew his hand with such force, the sound of the man's remaining ribs rang pleasantly in his ears. He tossed the organ to the ground, and turned to the two frozen figures behind the towering wooden cross. He raised his hand to lick his fingers and watched as the other men fled into the woods in different directions.

Concentrating his yearning for their suffrage, he flew across the ground and attacked the younger man armed with a knife and stake. He cried a melody of fear and hatred as Damon shoved him to the floor yards in front of them. "Do I disgust you?" He taunted, hands poised at his gory, blood soaked face as he leaned towards the man. "Does my monstrous nature make you cower and loathe me all the while?" He half-way chuckled, watching him squirm briskly in the other direction. He picked up the wooden stake and made his way towards the desperate fool attempting to crawl to safety. He stood over him then, the man's broken leg obvious as he wailed in pain at the pointless movement, and stomped his foot down on the man's other leg. He yelped in anguish at the sound of his own bones splintering through his flesh. Damon kicked his limp body over and seized hold of his coat to pull him up from the ground, scanning his poor twisted face.

"I shall kill you the in the same way you dispose of the creatures you hate." Damon seethed behind clenched, bloody teeth. He raised his arm and drove the stake down through his body and into the ground beneath him. The man shot up instinctively with an abruptly hateful expression to the force of the attack to make an indistinct noise and fall back onto his grave of pine needles and leaves.

Without hesitation, Damon made his way to the last man still running for dear life. When he stopped a few feet in front of the man he jumped in his skin and let out a bloodcurdling scream. The smell of urine soaked into the air in front of him as he trembled against the coarse bark of a tree. "Please! Don't kill me!" He begged with hands crossed above his chest, tears swelling in panic. Damon then rushed up to him and snapped his neck without restraint. He cringed his fingers together and released them as the lifeless body slumped to the ground; the power aroused within him refreshed his strengths with surprisingly great ease. He looked up to the night sky and questioned his integrity for a brief moment. Why does it feel so right to do so wrong? He asked the moon, reflecting the illumination he felt at the center of his being. As if to answer him, it disappeared momentarily behind a smokey grey streaking of clouds, igniting a spark of remembrance in his mind. The woman.


	4. Chapter 4

Damon was behind the wooden cross at the snap of a finger, eyeing the points of the iron stakes peeping through the other side. As futile as it was, he decided to pull a scarf from his coat and wipe his face of blood before rounding the side of the cross. He adjusted his hair and smoothed his coat for good measure. As he rounded the other side of the cross he became awestruck by her beauty once again, but could not bear to see her tied up any longer. He laid a hand gently on her calf as he looked up to her troublesome appearance and gripped the stake firmly. "I'm sorry..." He whispered, eliciting no response. After he braced himself he tore the stake from her leg and was stunned by the remarkably alarmed scream that resonated through her body for being so weak. Her head jolted backwards against the ropes and she cried out in pain, immersing Damon into an empathetic trepidation. Blinking rapidly, he gawked at her wound, seeping fresh blood down her leg that sent his pulse racing.

He pulled each stake with increased hastening whilst savoring guiltily in her crescendo of cries. Every time he ripped at her wounds she sent gratifying chills down his spine that tantalized him with dangerous intensity. At the last stake in her right arm she spat down at him to stop, and as he looked up into her teary face he could not help but feel a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach. "Please..." She choked, begging for the merciless pain to cease. But as he looked away and closed his eyes, he found it easier to bring himself to pull the stake from her arm and listen to her ghastly shriek. She thrashed about to the best of her ability, her chest heaving from the labor of it all, never meeting eyes with her torturer. Moments later she fell still, trembling slightly with the hushed sobs that lulled her quickly into unconsciousness.

Damon promptly tore at the ropes that bonded her to the grotesque cross, freeing her legs, then arms in one rapid motion until he finally freed her head. In an instant she slumped over onto his shoulders, the powerful aroma decorating her was nearly too much for him to resist as her neck grazed his face. He carefully laid her upon the bed of leaves and surveyed the area around them. As he kneeled beside her the smell of blood from her gaping wounds compelled him to indulge further. His heart throbbed in his chest as he bit his lip, craving nothing more than the simplicity of her taste on his tongue. Lusty inhibitions coarsed through him at the sight of her beneath the gown, enticing an invigorating sensation right through his anatomy.

The magnified feelings of empowerment quelled his doubts and persuaded him to carelessly bend his head to closer to her. Scanning her face, his skin pricked with excitement as he laid eyes upon her delicate features. With the assurance she would not stir he moved his face towards her neck he entwined his hand in her silky tress, bringing his other to move the portion away from her delicate neck, electrifying his fingertips all the while. His nose trailed dizzily from her collar to beneath her chin, leisurely drinking in her exquisite elixir and drugging himself with perilous thoughts. The thrumming of his weakness against his skull fueled his wants, his urges. With an unwavering resolution his abrupt grazing of her skin with his teeth came as a welcomed surprise; the first tiny trickle of blood cradled her neck as it streamed downward. Panting sensuously, he found himself overcome with habitual self-indulgence and glided his tongue with ease along her warmth. The instant her essence met his tongue it sent exotic thrills pulsating through his nerves, his blood, his brain as it struggled to maintain awareness of its surroundings. Every sense engulfed him, rushing and colliding with one another to create a sublime chaos he'd never in his lifetime experienced.

Damon removed his face in stupefied splendor, his eyes rolling back to soak in the pleasure that radiated from his head. His lips tingled numbly with her blood, exciting his arms with raised hairs as he drank in the satisfaction of it all. Under the glow of the moon her wet eyelashes twinkled as her eyes fluttered open to his sustained moans of joie de vivre. As he opened his eyes to luxuriate in the presence of her beauty, his smile quickly vanished from his features and his expression grew quite serious as he locked with her horrified gape. He could feel the tension rise up through her body in eminent eruption, and brought his hand to her lips before she could scream in protest.

"Please, please be quiet!" He asked desperately against her resistance, suddenly anxious at the reality of being caught in the guilty act. She mumbled into his palm and squirmed beside him. As he raised a finger to his nose for her noises to subside, she threw her fist to the side of his face, reeling when it met his cold, stoney cheek. Damon remained still for a moment, the impact igniting his fiery nature, and turned his face back to bore dangerous immediacy into her eyes. "Don't...tempt me." He fumed, but without rationalizing his power she bit down into the flesh of his hand, launching him into a frenzied rage. He tore his hand from her mouth and shoved her arms into the ground by her sides. Her eyes widened in terror as her heart fluttered violently, and she jerked her head to escape his gaze.

"You've far exhausted my patience, but I'm afraid I cannot...should not kill you." His eyes dilated as he spoke, lulling her into obedience. "You will cease to attempt evasion, and you will do as I say." He smoldered, examining her face as his eyes returned to normal.

"I will do as you say..." Her tone trailed off dreamily as her tinted accent streamed through his ears. Her doe eyes eased and her muscles relaxed as Damon ascended to stand above her. When he peered down into her gratifyingly peaceful face, he could not refrain from absentmindedly pacing beside her, running his hands through his thick locks as he contemplated what actions to proceed with. He found this process an increasingly desperate struggle to think of anything but biting into pure euphoria once again. Trailing his tongue along her perfect thighs would bring him an infinite amount of joy. No. No, he had to devise an explanation for this all, a plan of action for the woman on the ground beside him.

"Monsieur, my legs- they hurt terribly so." She stated faintly, awakening the seriousness of her injuries once again. And once again, he had let himself indulge selfishly and ignorantly. "You _fool_!" He mumbled to himself and he dropped to his knees beside her once again. She stared at him as if he were insane, but said nothing more. Perhaps the crazy man would end her misery after all.

He yanked at his woolen coat sleeves and brought his face down to his arm in one incredibly fast motion. "Here," He said, biting at his wrist. The blood trailed down his clenched fist as he brought it to her face ", you must drink to heal your wounds." Her expression became sickly in an instant, and she shook her head side to side with her nose scrunched.

"You _must_ to live!" He roared, and deciding the statement was entirely one sided and opinionated, he continued with, "Do you wish to live?" He questioningly provoked over her. She did not seem any more willing. Before any more signs of protest evolved he thrust his wrist onto her mouth. She scratched at his arm wildly, mumbling against his skin, but as the thick fluid flowed into her mouth she allowed her eyes to drift closed and sucked willingly. She inhaled a deep breath through her nose, her shaky hand gripping his arm, and began drinking with much enthusiasm. Her soft moans of enjoyment vibrated his limb, driving Damon mad with carnal arousal as he stroked her hair and brought her up closer to him.

"Ah, ah that is alright," He panted, licking his lips steamily ",you have had quite enough now." The subdued feeling of weakness started to permeate through his arm up to his shoulder. She extracted herself from his arm with a pleasurable noise as her eyes fell back, going slack in his grip underneath her. Taken by surprise at her response, he shook her gently. "Miss?" He asked, hints of worry surfacing in his tone. She did not stir. He felt her wrist and assessed her pulse throbbing on, assuring that her safety was managed, and lifted her in his arms. Her head fell back against his arm and her hair swayed along in motion to his movement. How would he even begin to explain the events of the evening to Stefan? To Alexia? He shuddered at the thought of the much older vampire becoming enraged with him, and set off to face the two at the Salvatore estate illuminated through the nearing cluster of trees.


End file.
